John Boyega Expressed No Interest in Taking Over Jonathan Majors' Role as Kang in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

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Fans are quickly putting together casting ideas in the wake of Marvel firing Jonathan Majors, but they can take John Boyega off their wish lists.

Last month, 31-year-old Boyega shared photos of himself with Captain America actor Anthony Mackie on X (formerly Twitter), sparking a fan to suggest he should be the one to replace Majors in future superhero franchises. In response, Boyega posted a gif of Donkey from Shrek shaking his head, indicating that he didn't want to take over Majors' role. Following Majors' legal issues, it was confirmed that he was fired from Marvel Studios. In his roles as Kang the Conqueror in various Marvel productions, he was supposed to have a substantial part in the Marvel Cinematic Universe moving forward, including a project set for 2026 called Avengers: Kang Dynasty.

Without Majors, fans are left questioning whether Marvel will move on from Kang or just find a new actor for the role. But it’s evident that Boyega has no desire to portray Kang or any other character in the MCU.

“That’s not part of my plan for now,” Boyega told Men’s Health in August 2022 in response to rumors about his potential role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “I want to pursue projects with depth. I want to contribute to original indie films that bring innovative ideas, because I understand the difficulty in competing with Iron Man in that universe.”

The British actor who played Finn in the latest Star Wars trilogy has openly expressed his dissatisfaction with how Disney, the owner of both Lucasfilm and Marvel Studios, mishandled his character. In a 2020 interview with GQ, he stated, "What I would say to Disney is do not bring out a Black character, market them to be much more important in the franchise than they are and then have them pushed to the side. It’s not good. I’ll say it straight up."

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The studio extended an invitation for a meeting to discuss how they could improve their support for BIPOC characters in the future. The conversation ultimately led to Disney publicly supporting Moses Ingram, a Black actress, after she faced racist messages and death threats following her debut on the show. Both the studio and star Ewan McGregor released statements in support of Ingram and condemning the fans who sent the hateful messages.

Actor John Boyega expressed his gratitude for the protection of Moses Ingram, stating that it made him feel less like an outsider and more supported. He noted the shift from a time when such conversations were avoided to now where open support is given, particularly from high-profile figures like Ewan McGregor. This support, he explained, filled the void of support he felt was lacking during his own experiences.